Keeping Our Cool: What to Do about Global Warming
Global warming conjures up images of flooded cities, hurricanes, devastated coastlines, and (as on our banner this month) rather desperate polar bears. While virtually no one doubts the reality of climate change, assessing its extent and crafting a prudent and proportional response raises problems of its own.
Which, if any, of the many climate change estimates are accurate? How bad will the damage be? Which approaches offer the best value in terms of protecting property and natural resources, while generating the fewest risks and side effects of their own? In short: How much would we or should we pay today for a future without global warming?
The problem grows more difficult when we realize that proposed global warming solutions have often been victims of the domestic political process — rightly or wrongly — or else have been unacceptable to developing nations. Understandably, these nations may value the social and economic advancement of their own citizens above whatever environmental damage may or may not result from global warming. At least for now, the only path out of poverty may still be paved with coal.
To discuss the way forward on this complex and truly global issue, we have invited Jim Manzi, statistician and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Predictive Technologies, whose proposals to conservatives on the issue have generated significant discussion. In response to his essay, we have invited environmental expert and frequent Cato Institute author Indur Goklany; climate scientist Joseph J. Romm, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress; and Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, the co-founders of The Breakthrough Institute, a think tank whose mission includes encouraging an "equitable and accelerated transition to the clean energy economy."
As always, Cato Unbound readers are encouraged to take up our themes, and enter into the conversation on their own websites, blogs, and even in good old-fashioned bound publications. “Trackbacks” are enabled. Cato Unbound will scour the web for the best commentary on our monthly topic, and, with permission, publish it alongside our invited contributors. We also welcome your letters. (Send them to jkuznicki@cato.org.)
» By The Editors on August 11th, 2008
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